American military personnel in combat zones may have been subjected to surveillance through commercial geolocation data from smartphones.
Американські військові / © Associated Press
U.S. service members deployed in active conflict areas might have become targets of observation due to commercially sourced location information. This kind of data is typically gathered by smartphones, applications, and advertising platforms, subsequently being sold through data brokers.
Reuters reported this, citing a letter from U.S. Central Command that was provided by Senator Ron Wyden.
The document highlights “numerous threat reports” concerning adversaries exploiting commercial geolocation data to track or potentially target American personnel within combat zones.
The letter did not specify the exact locations where such incidents were observed. However, the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility notably includes the Persian Gulf, where U.S. forces are in opposition to Iranian military units in the Strait of Hormuz.
American lawmakers have voiced concerns that such data could enable adversaries to pinpoint military concentrations, movement patterns, and personnel routines. This information could then be leveraged for missile strikes, drone attacks, improvised explosive device deployments, or counter-intelligence operations.
Senator Wyden asserted that it is time to consider the digital advertising industry as a national security threat.
The fundamental issue is the widespread utilization of geolocation data within the digital advertising ecosystem. This data is collected from smartphones and other devices, potentially finding its way to data brokers and being resold through various intermediary channels.
In a communication to the Pentagon, legislators urged for enhanced protection measures for military personnel: disabling advertising identifiers on service devices, restricting geolocation transmissions in field operations, and employing more secure digital tools.
Previously, it was reported that U.S. forces carried out further strikes against targets in Iran, which were assessed to pose a threat to American forces and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
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